Thomas Marshall, Jr. was born in 1730 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He was married to Mary Randolph Keith and they raised a large family of 15 children.
Marshall was already an experienced soldier when the Revolution broke out because he had served as a lieutenant of Virginians in the French and Indian War. He had also gained much leadership experience with his service as high sheriff of Fauquier County and in the Virginia House of Burgesses. He supported independence and recruited a battalion that would be part of the regiment known as the Culpeper Minutemen. He later served during the American Revolution in the Virginia 3rd Regiment, Continental Line. His service during the Revolution included serving as a captain, major, colonel, and provided civil service during the war.
Col. Thomas Marshall and his sons, John and Thomas Jr., fought throughout the Revolutionary War from 1776-1783. They endured many hardships but did not give up. During the coldest winter in history, the Continental Army was reduced from 11,000 men to fewer than 5,000 at Valley Forge as men died and deserted, but not the Marshalls. A story that has been passed through the generations is that Col. Thomas Marshall was in the boat with Gen. George Washington when they crossed the Delaware River and surprised the British on Christmas in 1776 at the Battle of Trenton.
In 1777, Thomas Marshall, his son John, and the Virginia troops were in the thick of the fighting at the Battle of Brandywine. Twice, Col. Marshall was thrown to the ground when his horses were shot from under him. Bounding onto riderless mounts, Marshall saw Gen. William Woodford fall wounded so Marshall assumed command of the regiment himself and held off the British advance. Decorated for his bravery, Marshall was presented a ceremonial sword from the Virginia Assembly and promoted to general. The sword is in the collection of the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center.
In 1780, Col. Marshall was appointed Surveyor General of the lands in Kentucky appropriated to the officers and soldiers of the Revolutionary War. In 1785, he returned to Virginia to get his family which he brought west on a flatboat down the Ohio River. Col. Marshall lived at Bucktown, a beautiful farm near Versailles until 1800, when he gave it to his youngest son, Louis. Col. Marshall and his wife then moved to Federal Hill in Washington to live with his son, Thomas Jr. He lived there two years until his death in 1802 and he is buried in the family cemetery.
Thomas Marshall is the ancestor of Limestone Chapter DAR members Ginny Butler and Lindsay Phillips. Many Marshall descendants continue to reside in Mason, Fleming, and surrounding counties. In honor of their 100th anniversary, Limestone Chapter DAR is honoring their Revolutionary patriots by sharing their stories.
